LINES OF THE DAY

". . . But the past does not exist independently from the present. Indeed, the past is only past because there is a present, just as I can point to somethingover there only because I amhere. But nothing is inherently over there or here. In that sense, the past has no content. The past -- or more accurately, pastness -- is a position. Thus, in no way can we identify the pastas past." p. 15

". . . But we may want to keep in mind that deeds and words are not as distinguishable as often we presume. History does not belong only to its narrators, professional or amateur. While some of us debate what history is or was, others take it into their own hands." p. 153Silencing the Past: Power and the Production of History (1995) by Michel-Rolph Trouillot

Saturday, February 28, 2009

This 'n That Re New Orleans

Not only did Bobby Jindal give a dorkdong speech, notable as noted by many, for a presentation both physical and audio, remarkably like the creepy, sinister character of Kenneth the page on 30 Rock, but also very stupid --tell us again why a high speed mag lev train connecting NO and Baton Rouge is a BAD idea and boondoggle, particularly during the periods of necessary evacuation? -- and it turns out, to have a Great Big Fat Lie at the center of it.Check here on Talking Points Memo blog. Louisiana is getting mighty sick of him, the rethugz' New! Great! White! -- er- Mixed Race! Hip-Hop Off Da Hook Hope! Even the rethugz.

It's like whatever teh stupid is that Illinois politicos drink is also drunk by those of Louisiana. It's the same Big Water System ain't it. It's one giant polluted system of the stupid and the corrupt.The World That Made New Orleans went back to press for a third HC printing. The trade edition will come out in August simultaneously with the HC The Year Before the Flood.

Yesterday we received an envelope from CRP of the latest reviews and mentions of TWTMNO. Somehow we'd missed this, but on December 31, Susan Larson, the NO Times-Picayune Books Editor, put up her ten best books of the year -- 2 fiction and 8 non-fiction. TWTMNO was one of the non-fiction titles. Among these is Bienville's Dilemma: The Historical Geography of New Orleans, the latest work of Tulane's Geography professor, the invaluable Richard Companella. We look forward to picking it up while down there in March for the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities Book Award event for TWTMNO.

We have jacket art for TYBTF. This one, again, has Vaquero's photographs. There's a pattern now among all three of the CRP titles in the jacket art. This one, like the cover for Cuba and Its Music, is filled with light and air; the colors are so luminous they almost feel ghostly ... but it project depth as well as a sense of joy -- ballon, as we say in ballet. It's most pleasing.